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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: drill · ground · safe · ruler · wax · shower · stick · temple

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. shower — to wash
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. ground — crushed
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. drill — a practice
  10. ground — the earth
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ground — a position
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. wax — to grow
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. shower — rain
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. drill — army training
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. drill — the tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com